49ers Sign Ex-Giant RB Brandon Jacobs

The 49ers have now signed ex-giants running back Brandon Jacobs to a one year deal. Brandon Jacobs used to be an absolute beast. He’s 6’4″ and 260lbs+ and back in the day regularly run over defenders as a matter of course. If you didn’t stop him before he got started you just made your life a whole lot more difficult! These days though, he isn’t the runner that he used to be. Getting closer to 30 and a year older than 49ers starting running back Frank Gore, I don’t see Brandon Jacobs doing much more than forcing out 3rd string running back Anthony Dixon. The #2 back Kendall Hunter showed flashes of future greatness spelling for Gore last year and has the benefit of youth on his side.

However I do see how Jacobs could be of great benefit in creating mismatches and space for Gore if the two were on the field at the same time. Imagine the defence when Davis, Gore and Jacobs are on the field, but Davis is one of the 49ers best receivers and Gore has stung defences many times catching passes out of the backfield. Add Jacobs into the mix and the defence simply has to step up to respect the threat of a run up the middle or off tackle, and play action passes (where the offence fake a running play before passing) could simply be epic.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if this experiment ends before the season begins. The 49ers have only committed to a one year deal at backup money so cutting Jacobs at any point wouldn’t hurt the teams future prospects. That’s why I like this move. It seems to me all the 49ers have done is created more options at a relatively low risk.